PH 3/2 Academy
Poul Henningsen began his collaboration with Louis Poulsen in 1925–1926, when he designed his first lamps for an exhibition in Paris. This partnership continued throughout his life, until his death in 1967.
Henningsen’s ambition was to create glare-free lighting that directed illumination precisely where it was needed, while also producing soft, comfortable shadows. Working with incandescent bulbs, he developed a scientific approach to light, using the logarithmic spiral as the basis for his designs. This ensured an even distribution of light across the curved surfaces of the shades, which—combined with diffuse reflection, especially in glass versions—allowed for effective control of glare and shadow.
The PH 3/2 Academy is part of the renowned three-shade system, which today includes around 30 different models, including outdoor variants. Rather than designing a single lamp, Henningsen created a complete and flexible system, with nearly a thousand variations produced over time. These included table, floor, and wall lamps, as well as chandeliers, which were especially popular in the 1930s for illuminating rooms with high ceilings.
The system offered extensive versatility, with numerous combinations of sizes, colours, and materials. Early versions featured metal shades with painted undersides in white, gold, or silver to achieve different lighting effects—diffuse, warm, or cool. Glass shades were later introduced, adding ambient illumination to the downward-directed light.
Each shade is carefully positioned to reduce light evenly according to its distance from the source. The model numbers refer to the size of the top shade and its corresponding lower shades. In “pure” models, such as the 3/3, all shades are proportionally matched. The PH 3/2 Academy, however, is a “hybrid” model: it features three lights with approximately 30 cm top shades combined with lower shades from the smaller 2/2 configuration. These hybrid designs were developed to accommodate practical needs, such as suspending pendants at lower heights.
The PH 3/2 Academy in its current form was introduced in 2000, continuing the legacy of Henningsen’s timeless and scientifically grounded lighting system.
Light concept
The three lights on the fixture are designed based on the principle of a reflective threeshade system which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of mouth-blown opal three-layer glass, which is glossy on the top and sandblasted matt on the inside, giving a soft and diffused light distribution.
Product details
Light source 3x40W E14
Other information
Shades in mouth-blown white opal glass with the body and suspension unit in bright chrome plated brass Canopy: Chrome. Cord length: 4 m. Cord type: Black fabric and wire.
Size & measurements
Size (mm): 680 (width) x 345 (Height) x 680 (Length)
Weight:14.9 kg
Mounting
4 m. Cord and wire.
Chrome canopy included.
